Scheduling Conflict
}} Roy decides to delay a jailbreak attempt until the rest of the party has a chance to learn what Tarquin knows about the Draketooth Family, feeling he and Belkar can still escape before the weekend gladiator game. Unbeknownst to him, however, Tarquin has planned a special mid-week game in honor of Elan. Cast * The Order of the Stick ** Roy Greenhilt (also on poster) ◀ ▶ ** Haley Starshine ◀ ▶ ** Elan ◀ ▶ ** Belkar Bitterleaf ◀ ▶ ** Durkon Thundershield ◀ ▶ ** Vaarsuvius (also in sending) ◀ ▶ * Mr. Scruffy ◀ ▶ * Blackwing ◀ ▶ * The Champion (on poster) ◀ ▶ * A Soldier of the Empire of Blood Transcript Elan: We could just ask my dad to release them, couldn't we? Durkon: Well, a bit unorth'dox, but if 'n he has tha legal 'thority ta do so... Haley: Yeah, I'd rather avoid telling Tarquin any more about us than is absolutely 100% necessary. Haley: Let's find out what Roy wants to do. Haley: V, are you done preparing your Sending spell? Vaarsuvius: My trance is complete, yes. Haley: Good, I worked out exactly what I want you to Send to Roy. Cut to Roy and Belkar in the gladiator yard. Belkar: These wooden swords are ridiculous. Roy: They're intended to be nonlethal. Belkar: I know! That's why they're so stupid. Belkar: If you can't kill someone with a piece of wood, you should get out of the killing business. An image of Vaarsuvius appears. Vaarsuvius: Sending! Roy: I should become a cleric. The gods answered my silent prayer for someone else to talk to. Belkar: I mean, a nice jagged splinter to the jugular, just off the top of my head. Vaarsuvius: Durkon, Haley, Elan, myself: safe, reunited. Vaarsuvius: Guest of government; head general is Elan's father. Vaarsuvius: Knows Girard somehow. Agreed to spill details three days hence. Vaarsuvius: Jailbreak? Roy: Hmmm... Belkar: Blunt force head trauma... ruptured spleen... grind it up and force feed it to them until their intestine bleeds... Roy: Negative. Roy: First lead on Girard: too important. Roy: Don't rock the boat, be good guests. Roy: Get all information from general, THEN jailbreak. We'll survive until then. Cut back to the Palace of Blood Vaarsuvius: Sir Greenhilt has instructed us not to liberate him at this time, as he feels it would prove disruptive to our efforts to glean what Tarquin knows about Draketooth. Durkon: Really? Be we sure this Tarquin na be lyin' aboot knowin' Girard? Haley: As sure as we can be. He was able to describe him accurately, and it's not like Girard is a public figure. Haley: He's been hiding down in a dungeon for, like, sixty years. Elan: Also, my dad wouldn't lie to me. Haley: ...Right. That, too. Mr. Scruffy leaps at Blackwing. Mr. Scruffy: mmRrrowr! Cut back to the gladiator yard. Belkar: You told them NOT to rescue us?? Belkar: Look, I know it's nice to let the boys air out for a while, but— Roy: Relax. That crazy warden said the gladiatorial games are held on the weekend. Roy: Haley will know whatever this general knows in three days, and then she'll spring us post-haste. Roy: This is a fantastic opportunity to gather data we really need if we're serious about stopping Xykon. Roy: And all we have to do is endure a few days of oily sweating. A soldier pastes posters on the wall: SPECIAL MID-WEEK GAMES! Our bloodiest ever! in honor of General Tarquin's son! Gladiators WILL fight! Prisoners WILL die! And you WILL be distracted from out brutal oppresive regime until Saturday! ALSO: Bread! Circuses! D&D Context * Sending is a 5th level spell which allows short communication over arbitrary distances, even across different planes of existence. Unlike Durkon in #733 and Nale in #337, Haley and Roy are very efficient in their use of the 25 word limit in the Sending spell. This is also the first time Vaarsuvius has cast the spell. Trivia * The title refers to the dramatic irony that Roy assumes the games will be on the weekend, but the poster shows that they will be held mid-week, before Tarquin will have spilled the beans about the Draketooth family. * The poster for the games promises bread and circuses, a phrase that goes back to ancient Rome. It is a figure of speech which implies a superficial means of appeasement, as the people of Rome in the 2nd century A.D. were satirized as being more concerned with food and games than in important political matters. External Links * 741}} View the comic * 162963}} View the discussion thread Category:Uses Sending Category:Roy and Belkar Become Gladiators